Background

It is not known when Li Shi was born. He was a member of the Tang imperial Li clan, as his ancestry came from Li Liang (李亮), one of the sons of Li Hu (李虎), the father of Tang's founding emperor Emperor Gaozu. His grandfather Li Jian (李坚) served as a prefectural prefect, while his father Li Peng (李鹏) served as a county magistrate.

Early career

In 818, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong, Li Shi passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class. As of 822, during the reign of Emperor Xianzong's son Emperor Muzong, Li Shi was serving as a staff member under Tian Bu the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei). That year, when Tian, loyal to the imperial government but facing soldiers ready to mutiny against him for being loyal, felt he had no choice but to commit suicide, he wrote a final petition urging immediately imperial assistance to two other generals loyal to the imperial government, Li Guangyan and Niu Yuanyi (牛元翼) and entrusted the petition to Li Shi, before committing suicide.

After Tian's death, Li Shi served on the staff of Li Ting (李听) the Duke of Liang, and he followed Li Ting at four different circuits. It was said that Li Shi was good at speaking and had strategies, and was particularly capable in his administrative skills. Whenever Li Ting was out conducting campaigns, Li Shi often remained at headquarters to oversee operations in Li Ting's absence.

During Emperor Wenzongs reign

Before chancellorship

In 829, by which time Emperor Muzong's son Emperor Wenzong was emperor, when Li Ting was serving as the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (义成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan), there was an occasion when Li Ting sent Li Shi to the capital Chang'an to submit reports. When Li Shi met Emperor Wenzong, he spoke well, impressing Emperor Wenzong. Subsequently, Emperor Wenzong recalled Li Shi to Chang'an to serve as Gongbu Langzhong (工部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of public works (工部, Gongbu), and also had him serve as acting director of the salt and iron monopolies. In 831, Li Shi was made Xingbu Langzhong (刑部郎中), a supervisory official at the ministry of justice (刑部, Xingbu). Subsequently, when Linghu Chu served as the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河东, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), at his request, Li Shi was made his deputy military governor. In 834, Li Shi was made an imperial attendant (给事中, Jishizhong). In summer 835, Li Shi was made acting mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (i.e., the Chang'an region). In winter 835, he was made the deputy minister of census (户部侍郎, Hubu Shilang), and was also acting director of finances. (This was done to allow the deputy mayor Luo Liyan, a close associate of the chancellor Li Xun, who was plotting with Emperor Wenzong and Zheng Zhu to slaughter the powerful eunuchs, to serve as acting mayor and control the troops under the mayor's command.)

Soon thereafter, the plot by Emperor Wenzong, Li Xun, and Zheng Zhu (later known as the Ganlu Incident) failed, with the eunuchs slaughtering many imperial officials, including Li Xun, Zheng, and three of Li Xun's chancellor colleagues — Wang Ya, Jia Su, and Shu Yuanyu. In the aftermaths of the incident, Li Shi and Zheng Tan were made chancellors with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi, and Li Shi retained his authorities as the director of finances as well.

Chancellorship

At the time that Zheng Tan and Li Shi served as chancellors, the eunuchs, led by Qiu Shiliang, often tried to humiliate the imperial officials by citing the examples of Li Xun and Zheng Zhu. It was said that Li Shi and Zheng Tan responded by pointing out that Li Xun and Zheng Zhu had initially been recommended to Emperor Wenzong by the eunuch Wang Shoucheng. Thereafter, it was said that the eunuchs' arrogance subsided somewhat, and the imperial officials depended on Li Shi and Zheng Tan to protect them. Soon thereafter, there was an incident in which, when the eunuch Tian Quancao (田全操) returned to the capital, he had remarked that when he got to the capital he would slaughter the officials, causing a general panic in Chang'an. Zheng suggested to Li Shi that they find refuge when Tian was approaching Chang'an, but Li Shi refused, pointing out that if even the chancellors fled, the panic would overtake the capital entirely, and that if there were to be disaster, they would not be able to get away anyway. Zheng agreed. Subsequently, Zheng and Li Shi urged that the relatives of Li Xun and the other executed officials be no longer pursued.

Meanwhile, as many of the chancellors' guards were killed in the Ganlu Incident, the governors of Jiangxi (江西, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi) and Hunan (湖南, headquartered in modern Changsha, Hunan) offered uniforms and salaries for 120 guards to allow the chancellors' guard corps to be reassembled. Li Shi submitted a petition to Emperor Wenzong declining the two circuits' offer:

(Li Shi's petition was often viewed traditionally as a model of modesty, but the modern historian Bo Yang severely criticized it for overly arrogant language that did not conform with Li Shi's own behavior several years later.)

However, the eunuchs continued to be in control of the government, and it was said that the imperial officials worried about being slaughtered on a daily basis. It was not until spring 836, when Liu Congjian the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭义, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), submitted harshly worded petitions protesting the innocence of Wang Ya and Jia Su and accusing Qiu of crimes, did Qiu and the other eunuchs began to cut back on their behavior and allow Emperor Wenzong, as well as Li Shi and Zheng, to exercise their authority. In addition to being chancellor, Li Shi was given the office of Zhongshu Shilang (中书侍郎, the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng)), as well as acting director of salt and iron monopolies, and imperial scholar at Jixian Hall (集贤殿).

In spring 836, there was an incident when there were rumors that Emperor Wenzong was prepared to give the chancellors commands of the armies to again act against the eunuchs, and tensions rose again. It was only after Li Shi proposed that Emperor Wenzong convene a meeting between the chancellors and the eunuchs, allowing Li Shi and Zheng to explain what was happening to the eunuchs, that Qiu and the others were less suspicious of the chancellors.

Also in 836, with Li Guyan, a former chancellor, serving again as chancellor with Zheng and Li Shi, Li Shi advocated the posthumous rehabilitation of the former chancellor Song Shenxi, whom Wang Shoucheng and Zheng Zhu had previously accused of treason, leading to Song's exile. Zheng and Li Guyan joined Li Shi in his petition, and Emperor Wenzong agreed, restoring Song's offices posthumously.

Meanwhile, Li Shi had commissioned the official Han Yi to take over, on an acting basis, his responsibilities as director of finances, but Han was corrupt and, after the corruption was discovered, was imprisoned. Li Shi stated to Emperor Wenzong, "I thought that Han Yi was familiar with monetary and food supply matters, and that was why I used him. I did not know that he is this greedy." Emperor Wenzong responded, "Chancellors are supposed to use those whom they know the abilities of and punish those who have faults. Only then can you find capable people. You, Lord, do not hide the wickedness of those you commissioned, and this is righteousness. In the past, when chancellors commissioned people, they often hid their faults and stopped them from being indicted. That was a major problem." Subsequently, Han was exiled. Li Shi also suggested that Emperor Wenzong show greater favor to two eunuchs who were virtuous, Liu Hongyi and Xue Jileng (薛季棱).

As Li Shi had been willing to stand up to the eunuchs on policy issues, Qiu began to resent him deeply. In 838, Qiu sent assassins to try to kill Li Shi, but the assassination failed. Despite the failure, Li Shi became fearful and offered to resign his chancellor position. Emperor Wenzong reluctantly agreed, making Li Shi the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (荆南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou, Hubei) instead, as well as the mayor of Jingnan's capital Jiangling Municipality (江陵).

After chancellorship

As it was commonly known that Qiu Shiliang resented Li Shi, when Li Shi was departing Chang'an to head to Jingnan, no imperial feast was held in his honor, causing much distress among the gentlemen of the capital. When Li Shi arrived at Jingnan, where he continued to carry the Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi title as an honorary title, he declined the honorary title of Zhongshu Shilang.

During Emperor Wuzongs reign

After Emperor Wenzong died in 840 and was succeeded by his brother Emperor Wuzong, Emperor Wuzong bestowed the additional honorary title of acting You Pushe (右仆射) on Li Shi.

In 843, in the middle of Emperor Wuzong's campaign against the warlord Liu Zhen, who controlled Zhaoyi Circuit (昭义, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), Emperor Wuzong, concerned that there was resentment between two of Zhaoyi's nearby circuit governors — Liu Mian the military governor of Hedong and Zhang Zhongwu the military governor of Lulong Circuit (卢龙, headquartered in modern Beijing), moved Liu to Yicheng Circuit and made Li Shi the military governor of Hedong to replace Liu. Li Shi was also made acting Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) and the mayor of Hedong's capital Taiyuan. He was created the Count of Longxi as well, and allowed to continue to carry the honorary title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi.

When Liu departed Hedong, he took all the stored wealth in the Hedong treasury with him, so upon Li Shi's arrival, the treasury was empty. Meanwhile, under orders of the imperial government to supply additional forces on the Zhaoyi front, Li Shi recalled 1,500 soldiers that Liu had previously stationed at Hengshui Fence (横水栅, in modern Datong, Shanxi) to defend against Huigu raiders, under the command of the officer Yang Bian. Three days before the Chinese New Year, the Hengshui Fence soldiers arrived, but as the circuit treasury was empty, Li Shi could not give them the silk rewards that the soldiers being sent on a campaign were accustomed to receive; rather, he had to take silk out of his own personal wealth, but was only able to pay half as much. Further, the eunuch monitor Lü Yizhong, then with Wang Zai, was sending messages forcing the soldiers to get underway without staying at Taiyuan for New Year. The soldiers were angry and distressed, and Yang took this opportunity to start an uprising. He had the soldiers pillage the city and take control of the city of Taiyuan. Li Shi was forced to flee to Fen Prefecture (汾州, in modern Linfen, Shanxi). Yang subsequently entered into an alliance with Liu Zhen.

In light of Yang's uprising, there were immediate calls among the imperial officials to stop the campaign against Zhaoyi, and even Wang Zai was calling for accepting Liu's surrender. The chancellor Li Deyu opposed, and again reiterated that Liu's surrender should only be accepted if he and his family bound themselves. Under further advice by Li Deyu, who argued that Yang's uprising could not be tolerated, Emperor Wuzong ordered that the focus of the campaign be shifted, to concentrate on Yang first. To those ends, he ordered Li Shi and Lü to gather troops from nearby prefectures and try to recapture Taiyuan, while ordering Wang Feng to leave Hedong troops at Yushe and instead take troops previously sent by Yiwu (义武, headquartered in modern Baoding, Hebei), Xuanwu, and Yanhai (兖海, headquartered in modern Jining, Shandong) Circuits to head toward Taiyuan. He also ordered Wang Yuankui to divert troops toward Taiyuan as well. This set a panic into the Hedong soldiers at Yushe, who were fearful that the soldiers from other circuits would slaughter their families if Taiyuan fell, so they volunteered to attack Yang with Lü as their commander. In less than a month after Yang took over Taiyuan, the Hedong troops under Lü recaptured the city and arrested Yang, who was subsequently delivered to Chang'an and executed.

After Yang's rebellion was put down, Li Shi was replaced with Cui Yuanshi. He was thereafter made an advisor to the Crown Prince, but to have his office at the eastern capital Luoyang. In 845, he was made acting Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies), as well as the defender of Luoyang. He died while at Luoyang at the age of 61, but the date of death was not specified.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, vol. 172.

• New Book of Tang, vol. 131.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 242, 245, 246, 247.

早期仕途

李石出自唐朝宗室大郑王房，是郑孝王李亮的六世孙，襄邑恭王李神符的五世孙，魏国公、幽州大总管李文暕的玄孙，殿中丞、魏国公李捷的曾孙，虢州刺史李坚的孙子，盛唐令李鹏的儿子。唐宪宗元和十三年（818年），李石中进士。大约宪宗子唐穆宗长庆二年（822年），李石为魏博节度使田布从事。当年，田布因忠于朝廷，面临士兵意图兵变的困局，自认为除自杀外别无他法，写遗表请求朝廷援助另两个忠于朝廷的将领李光颜和牛元翼，在自杀前将表文交给李石。

田布死后，李石投效凉国公李听，历事四镇。曾充泾原判官。李石擅长辩论，又有方略，擅长为官之道。李听外出征伐时，李石常留在节度府处理事务。

唐文宗年间

拜相前

唐文宗太和年间，李石曾任鄜坊道军粮使，表禁商人不得以旗帜、甲胄、五兵入部落，告者可得到罪人财物。三年（829年），李听时任义成节度使，派李石入朝长安奏事。李石见文宗，对答条理分明，文宗为之所动。后来，文宗召李石回长安任工部郎中，判盐铁案。五年（831年），李石守刑部郎中，后又任盐铁判官，后令狐楚任河东节度使，请求李石做了他的副手。曾任左补阙。七年（834年）十二月，拜给事中。九年（835年）七月，权知京兆尹事。十月，改任户部侍郎，判度支事。这使得与和文宗、郑注合谋屠戮当权宦官的宰相李训亲近的京兆少尹罗立言得以权知府事，控制军队。

十二月，文宗、李训、郑注的这起被称为甘露之变的计划失败了，宦官屠杀朝臣，李训、郑注和李训的三位同僚宰相王涯、贾餗、舒元舆都被杀。后果是时任朝议郎、守尚书户部侍郎、判度支、上柱国、赐紫金鱼袋的李石和郑覃被授同中书门下平章事，拜为宰相，李石被任为朝议大夫，仍判度支。

拜相

郑覃、李石拜相后，以仇士良为首的宦官常引用李训、郑注的例子意图羞辱朝臣。李石、郑覃指出李训、郑注是宦官王守澄推荐给文宗的，以为回击。宦官的傲气因此收敛，朝臣们也依赖李石和郑覃以自保。不久，宦官刘行深及仪仗使田全操等六人巡边回京，称回京之日要屠杀官员，长安陷入惶恐。田全操行近长安，中书省官吏稍稍走散，郑覃建议李石避难，李石拒绝了，说如果连宰相都跑了，恐惧将完全笼罩京城，如果将有灾祸，他们是逃不过的。郑覃同意了。李石审阅公文，泰然自若。当晚，因李石和左金吾将军陈君赏的维持，局势安定。当月，文宗御紫宸殿时，郑覃和李石促成李训及其他被诛官员的亲属不被追究。

十一月，因宰相从人多在甘露之变中被杀，江西、湖南献上足以招募120人的制服和粮食，以让宰相招募从人。李石上表文宗辞谢了两镇的进献：「如果宰相忠正无邪，将得神灵庇佑，即使遇到盗贼，也不会受伤。如果宰相心里怀著奸邪的念头，即使有大量护卫，鬼也会杀了他们。臣愿意竭力报国，按旧制，用金吾就够了。臣请求退回两镇的进献。」十二月，新任京兆尹薛元赏拜访李石，见李石在厅堂与一人争辩，声音很大。薛元赏派人打听，说是神策军将在诉讼。薛元赏小跑而入，责李石不能制一军将，令其如此无礼，然后跑出上马，命左右擒住军将到下马桥。仇士良闻讯召薛元赏，薛元赏杖杀军将后前去，被仇士良指责，薛元赏说中尉和宰相都是大臣，无论是宰相的人无礼于中尉还是中尉的人无礼于宰相都不可饶恕，自己此来愿意领死。仇士良知道军将已死，只能不了了之。

李石先前辞谢进献的表文常被视为谦逊的典范，但宦官仍控制政府，朝臣旦夕担心遭到屠杀。开成元年（836年）正月，文宗御紫宸殿，郑覃、李石奏请免京兆一年租赋、停四节进奉，文宗说要务行其实不崇空文，李石又说「赦书需要在宫内留一本，陛下时时查看。十道黜陟使出发之日要交代公事根本，令他们向外与长吏详择施行，才能尽利害之要。」并奏请春季禁用泾阳水，秋冬时再动用。文宗说到百司弛慢，应该整顿，郑覃答变风俗，当考实效，百司三十年以来多不务实，如同嵇、阮之流不摄职事，李石说这都是天下太平人人无事安逸所致，如今人俗都在以不及王衍为耻。文宗鼓励郑覃、李石，二人谢罪。二月，昭义节度使刘从谏上表严辞抗议王涯、贾餗无辜并弹劾仇士良之罪，仇士良等宦官才收敛行为，文宗和李石、郑覃才得以行权。当月宰相们奏事于紫宸殿，文宗说：「从来文格非佳，昨试进士题目是朕自出，所见诗赋似胜去年。」李石说：陛下改诗赋格调以正颓俗，高锴亦能厉精取士，仰副圣旨。」文宗说：「四方表奏不典实而尚浮巧者，宜罚掌书记。」李石说：「古人因事为文，今人以文害事，惩弊抑末，实在盛时。」李石除拜相外，还被任守中书侍郎、充集贤殿大学士。三月，奏事于紫宸殿，当时正少雨，文宗说：「麦苗得未损否？」李石说：「春泽之时亦未至损，自赦书颁行，远近皆已来贺，未见有依节文处置事上闻者。臣即进条目，伏望省览。比者下令不曾及时，今条奏赦书中十一件事最切臣欲提举，令其必行。」「度支每年有十人，合有得官臣，悉令各守公事，留其旧人，就加守奖，十年间免一百人入任。」四月，兼领诸道盐铁转运使。并判收茶法。

当月，谣传文宗准备再次让宰相指挥军队对抗宦官，局势再度紧张。李石建议文宗召宰相和宦官开会，李石和郑覃得以向宦官解释事态，仇士良等人对宰相的疑心也稍释然了。同月，文宗御紫宸殿，问李石：有何人候对？李石说：「有令狐楚、郑肃等。」奏道：「陛下今日令诸有司官各以公事面奏，未知决事之时，对臣与（郑）覃伏候，臣等退？」文宗认为无碍，又说：「吏部中事非迁才，安得摭实无滥。且欲变更

，得否？」李石说：「县令录事参军改变即得诸官。且循旧为便。」

五月，文宗御紫宸殿，对宰相们曰：「为政之道，自古是难事。」李石对道：「朝廷法令得行，就容易了。」文宗勤于为政之道，常苦于选曹舞弊，在延英殿对宰相们提及改革吏部，李石对答：「选官可以商量，其他官应该循旧。」文宗说：「循旧如配官，贤不肖如何能甄别？」

同年，前宰相李固言再度拜相，与郑覃、李石共事，李石请求追复被王守澄和郑注诬陷谋反遭贬的前宰相宋申锡。郑覃、李固言赞同李石的表文，文宗同意了，追复宋申锡生前官爵。当年，起居舍人李褒有痼疾请辞，李石奏称阙官，文宗称褚遂良为谏议大夫时曾兼此官，要李石推荐在任谏议大夫兼起居舍人，李石遂奏李让夷、冯定、孙简、萧俶。最后文宗任用李让夷。文宗很怀念李训，每每对李石、郑覃、李固言等称李训之才：「李训伦常不如公等，但是天下奇才，公等不及。」

同年，太仆卿段伯伦去世，李石奏称段伯伦是故忠臣段秀实之子，自古舍身卫社稷的都不如段秀实之贤。文宗悯然，加段伯伦赙赠，且为礼待忠臣后人而辍朝一日。

李石任金部员外郎韩益代他判度支，但十月，韩益贪赃三千馀缗事发被下狱。李石对文宗说：「我认为韩益通晓钱谷之事，才用他，不知他贪婪如此。」文宗说：「宰相只要知人则任用，有过则惩罚，就容易得人。卿对所用的人不掩其恶，可谓公正极了。从前宰相用人喜欢遮蔽对方的过失，不希望他人弹劾，这是大问题。」韩益被贬梧州司户。李石建议文宗褒赏两位有德的宦官刘弘逸和薛季棱。

二年（837年），文宗对宰相郑覃、李固言、李石等感慨人才缺乏，李石答：「十户的城邑必有忠信之人，怎么会有大国无人？是贞元年间仕进路塞，所以有才之人有的就去其他地方托身，这是不叙进人才之过。」二月，文宗御紫宸殿，对三宰相说：「《顺宗实录》似未详实，史官韩愈不是当时人否？」李石说：「韩愈贞元末屈为四门博士。」文宗说西汉司马迁《与任安书》多怨怼之辞，其所著《武帝本纪》多失实。郑覃说汉武帝中年大发兵开边，劳苦生灵，府库殚竭，司马迁所述不过分。李石说郑覃所说的是以汉武帝为例进谏，希望文宗盛德有终。文宗以为然。五月，文宗御紫宸殿，郑覃、李石奏山南东道节度使殷侑论请就边境上招当道防秋兵、徐泗濠节度使薛元赏请求保留旧防秋兵二年，文宗都不认可。同月，李德裕代牛僧孺为淮南节度使，牛僧孺将军事交付副使张鹭后离任。淮南府钱八十万缗，李德裕奏称只有四十万，被张鹭用了一半。牛僧孺对文宗称冤，文宗诏李德裕核实，李固言发现牛僧孺留下的钱确实是八十万缗。李石准许李德裕再行核查申辩，李德裕称诸镇被代任时按例以半数备水旱、助军费，自己刚到任时染病，不知道这个惯例，被下属官吏欺瞒，待罪请求处罚，被赦免。七月，因苏州刺史卢商改革盐法、政绩上等，李石迁他为润州刺史、浙西团练观察使。

文宗喜欢经术，李石因而说士丐《春秋传》可读，但文宗说曾见过，是穿凿之学。

李石后为银青光禄大夫。因李石和宦官政见不合，仇士良开始深恨他。三年（838年）正月，仇士良派禁军中的刺客试图杀害李石，李石白天从亲仁里入朝时中流矢，但只伤了皮肤，骑马逃回，在坊门又遇袭，马尾被剑砍断，本人幸免。文宗惊骇，派宦官慰问，赐金疮药，派六军兵士三十人护卫宰相。李石恐惧，屡屡上表请辞宰相、中书侍郎。文宗不情愿地答应了，改任李石为中书侍郎、同中书门下平章事、兼江陵尹、充荆南节度管内观察处置等使，勋如故，加金紫光禄大夫。京兆尹崔珙因不能抓捕凶手，被罚俸，声望也受到影响。而仇士良愈发肆无忌惮。

罢相后

因仇士良憎恨李石人所共知，李石离京去荆南赴任时，皇家没有为他设宴以示荣宠，京城士人寒心。李石到荆南后，仍保有同中书门下平章事作为荣衔，辞中书侍郎荣衔，加检校兵部尚书。

唐武宗年间

五年（840年），唐文宗崩，弟唐武宗继位，授李石检校尚书右仆射荣衔。

会昌三年（843年）十月，武宗正征讨控制昭义的军阀刘稹，注意到昭义邻镇河东节度使刘沔、卢龙节度使张仲武有隙，调刘沔至义成，因李石曾任河东节度副使而任李石为检校司空、平章事，兼太原尹、北都留守，充河东节度、管内观察等使以代之，封爵陇西郡伯。刘稹遣军将贾群来见李石，呈上李石堂兄洺州刺史李恬的信说：「刘稹愿举族归命于相公，奉刘从谏的丧事归葬东都。」李石囚贾群，将书信内容上报。时任宰相的李德裕以李石名义回信，要刘稹面缚来降。

刘沔离任河东时带走了所有储藏的财物，李石到任时，府库一空。十一月，因榆社行营都将王逢奏称兵少请求增援，朝廷又下令河东以二千兵增援之，李石召回刘沔之前屯于横水栅防回鹘奇袭的1500士兵，由都将杨弁统领。春节前三日，横水栅士兵到了，但因府库一空，李石不能按惯例给他们作为派往前线的士兵应得的两匹绢赏赐；他只能从自己的财产中拿出绢，但只足以人手一匹。随从忠武节度使王宰的监军宦官吕义忠又发牒文催促士兵赶赴前线，不让他们留在太原过年。士兵们愤怒沮丧，杨弁趁机作乱，让士兵劫掠城中并控制太原，杀都头梁季叶，士兵推杨弁为留后。四年（844年）正月，李石只得出逃汾州。杨弁随后释放贾群，和刘稹结盟。

杨弁作乱后，武宗遣中使马元贯宣谕河东，马元贯又受杨弁贿赂而意欲保全他。朝臣立即呼吁停止讨伐昭义，连王宰也请求接受刘稹投降。李德裕反对，重申只有刘稹全家自缚才接受其投降，虽然马元贯奏称杨弁军多，李德裕指出既然李石招不到兵，杨弁也不可能短期内招到很多兵，马元贯词穷。在认为杨弁作乱不应得到宽容的李德裕的进一步建议下，武宗下令转移战事焦点，先对付杨弁。因此，他命令李石和吕义忠从邻近州县调集军队，意图收复太原，命河东行营都知兵马使王逢将河东军留在榆社，率先前义武、宣武、兖海派出的军队进军太原，同时命成德军节度使王元逵分兵向太原。榆社的河东兵慌了，怕一旦太原陷落，他们的家人会被其他镇的士兵屠戮，于是便主动拥戴吕义忠攻杨弁。杨弁夺太原不到一个月，吕义忠的河东军就收复太原，拘禁杨弁，送往长安处决。

杨弁乱平后，李石被崔元式所代，被任为太子少傅，就职于东都洛阳。会昌五年（845年）正月，他被任检校司徒、充东都留守、判东都尚书省事、畿汝都防御使。因太微宫正殿坍塌，他以废弃的弘敬寺为太庙，迎唐朝历代先帝神主祔之。十月，中书省奏称泛水县武牢关驿像年代已久，希望以李石为充修东都太庙使，令其在洛阳选择好画家增饰并在开工之日差一名分司官员荐告，获准。六年（846年）四月，奏修奉太庙完毕、所司已迎奉太微宫神主祔庙。唐宣宗大中元年（847年）秋季前，他在洛阳去世，享年六十二，具体日期不详。赠尚书右仆射。

李石之弟李福，历任义成军节度使、刑部、户部尚书、山南东道节度使，唐僖宗时同平章事（拜相）。

李石在荆南时的宾佐崔铉在会昌年间为宰相。

作品

• 《开成承诏录》二卷。

• 《世系手记》一卷。

• 《乐善录》十卷。

• 《司牧安骥集》三卷、《司牧安骥方》一卷。

轶闻

《云笈七签》卷一百一十三：李石未发达时很喜欢道家。曾游嵩山，在荒草之间听到有人呻吟，一看，是病鹤。鹤说著人话：「我已经成仙了，遇到厄运，被樵夫所伤，一只脚就要断了，需要人血数合，才能痊愈。你有仙骨，所以相托。」李石就脱了衣服想刺伤自己放血。鹤说：「世间人少，公也不是纯人。」拔下睫毛说：「拿去东都，用它照，就知道了。」李石在途中用睫毛看自己，是马的头。到了洛阳，遇到很多人，都不是人，都是狗、猪、驴、马的头。偶尔在桥上看到一个老翁骑驴，用睫毛照，是人。李石恭敬作揖，说了病鹤的事。老翁欣然下驴，割手臂自刺出血。李石用小瓶盛放，拿去鹤的所在，涂在伤处，撕裂衣服为它裹伤。鹤谢道：「公将要做明君的宰相，不久就是日子了，谨慎不要堕落初心。」李石下拜，鹤冲天而去。

《太平广记》《类说》等将此事主角记作李松、李相公、李卫公。

子孙

• 李奇

• 李赣

注释及参考文献